Orchard Facilities Management has been confirmed as a founder member of a new initiative by charity Hope for Justice designed to prevent exploitation in the supply chain.

Slave-Free Alliance is a scheme for businesses who are committed to tackling modern slavery across their operations, including suppliers.

Neil Ewing, managing director of Huddersfield-based Orchard Facilities Management said: “It is a shocking statistic that 77 per cent of companies expect to find modern slavery in their operations or supply chains.

“As a company that is dedicated to helping organisations meet their compliance requirements and manage their own operations we feel we have a pivotal role to play in combating this growing threat.

“Most businesses will be unaware that modern slavery exists in their supply chain and we will be working hard with the other members of the scheme to raise awareness and eradicate slavery and exploitation in the workforce.

“We already have an excellent relationship with Hope for Justice and have worked alongside the charity for many years, helping them streamline their operations and minimise costs.

“We are looking forward to supporting their new initiative by assisting the organisations we work with to identify modern slavery in their supply chains so that they can conduct their businesses in an ethical and responsible way.”

Ben Cooley

Ben Cooley, Group CEO of Slave-Free Alliance and Hope for Justice, said:

“We understand that this is a risk area that is not always well-understood and it is particularly hard for even the best businesses to get to grips with.

“We are delighted to welcome Orchard Facilities Management as one of our founder members. Their understanding of compliance and the steps needed for a slave-free supply chain will help us change perceptions and educate more businesses in the need for action.”